All signs are pointing to a Tom Brady-Deion Sanders master plan in Las Vegas

The Las Vegas Raiders are perhaps the most interesting head coaching vacancy in the NFL right now.

On the surface, there's more than enough reason to be wary of coaching for an organization with such a long track record of mediocrity. Mark Davis does not have a strong history with head coaching hires and the Raiders' front office has a tendency of baffling misfires.

That said, there is a certain allure to the Las Vegas market, not to mention an organization with such deep roots in NFL history. The Davis family has been around the sport for ages and now, Tom Brady is spearheading football operations, by all accounts. Whether we should trust Brady's judgement is unclear, but he's arguably the greatest player the sport has ever seen. His name carries undeniable weight.

We have already seen several intriguing names tied to the Raiders' job, with Pete Carroll, Robert Saleh and Steve Spagnuolo among the most accomplished candidates to interview in Las Vegas. The Raiders have also spoken with both Detroit Lions coordinators, Aaron Glenn and Ben Johnson, who appear destined for head coaching jobs this cycle.

Now another fascinating name has popped up on the radar. According to Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, a source claims Deion Sanders has "very strong interest" in the Raiders job.

Deion Sanders has 'strong interest' in Raiders head coaching job, and the dots connect

Coach Prime certainly has plenty of cachet after two strong seasons at Colorado, where he has transformed the Buffaloes from a college football laughing stock to a top program in the Big 12. Now his son, Shedeur Sanders, is a projected top pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. One potential landing spot? The Raiders, who are tired of the current arrangement in the QB room with Gardner Minshew and Aidan O'Connell.

When he was recently asked about the prospect of leaving Colorado for the NFL, Deion gave one condition:

"The only way I would consider (it) is to coach my sons."

Las Vegas, currently equipped with the No. 6 pick, can give Sanders that opportunity. It may require a trade up — Shedeur is a strong candidate at No. 1 to Tennessee or No. 2 to Cleveland — but the Raiders are certainly in the mix for the Buffs quarterback, regardless of who is head coach.

It helps that Brady and the Sanders family have a longstanding relationship. Brady has mentored Shedeur in the past and his brand, TB12, inked the eldest Sanders prospect to an NIL deal in 2023. That appears to be a legitimately deep connection, and we know Brady wants to make a splash with his first major hire since joining the Raiders ownership group. Forget qualifications — Coach Prime is one of the biggest, buzziest names in the sport. He would bring eyeballs, and dollars, to Las Vegas.

This probably isn't the wisest option for Brady and the Raiders. I'd favor a more established winner, like Pete Carroll, or a high-level coordinator, like Ben Johnson. The leap from college to the NFL is drastic and the success rate is low. Prime also feels uniquely suited to dominating the college football landscape. He lives in the transfer portal, and he's a recruiting magnet. The NFL is a different ballgame; he can't push half his team out the door when a season goes south. As such, it feels like an ill-fated experiment, should the Raiders embark on it.

We'd all like to see it, though. That much is certain.